Churches in Amarillo, Texas

[Miss_Linda]

I am beginning to pray about moving to Amarillo, Texas, and finding a Church is going to be central to a decision about moving. I currently live in a large metropolitan area where I attend a wonderful, traditional conservative Catholic Church. Is there anyone in this forum who is famliar with some of the Churches in Amarillo, and could tell me whether there are any parishes with a more traditional “feel” in that city?

Any additional insights into living in Amarillo would also be appreciatively received.

Thank you!

 

[Orogeny]

I am beginning to pray about moving to Amarillo, Texas, and finding a Church is going to be central to a decision about moving. I currently live in a large metropolitan area where I attend a wonderful, traditional conservative Catholic Church. Is there anyone in this forum who is famliar with some of the Churches in Amarillo, and could tell me whether there are any parishes with a more traditional “feel” in that city?

Any additional insights into living in Amarillo would also be appreciatively received.

Thank you!

I grew up in Amarillo, but it has been 29 years since I lived there. I grew up in St. Marys parish (went to elementary school there). I know that since I left, another parish, St Thomas the Apostle, opened with Msgr. Joe Tash whom I knew as I was growing up. He was (and still is as far as I know) a good priest.

Why are you moving to Amarillo? Have you been there before? It is quite different than Dallas!

Peace

Tim

 

[Miss_Linda]

Thank you so very much for taking the time to reply, Tim. I read about St. Mary’s parish and the fact that they have a school that is almost 100 years old–extraordinary!

Truthfully, I have not yet visited Amarillo so my desire to live there is based primarily on a desire to move to a smaller, safer city that is still large enough to have decent employment prospects. I have lived in Dallas since I was a young girl and feel like drawn to move to a city with a slightly slower-paced lifestyle.

I have dear friends in my Church whom I would miss terribly, but other than that there is absolutely nothing (besides my current job) holding me in Dallas.

May I ask how, from your observations, Amarillo is different from Dallas? It appears to be large enough to have amenities that I would normally use (car washes, dry cleaner services, etc.)

 

[Orogeny]

Thank you so very much for taking the time to reply, Tim. I read about St. Mary’s parish and the fact that they have a school that is almost 100 years old–extraordinary!

I and all of my brothers and sisters went to school there (my two older sisters went through high school when that was still offered), my three aunts on my dad’s side of the family went to school there and my dad went to school there. I have great memories of that school. We still had nuns as teachers!

Truthfully, I have not yet visited Amarillo so my desire to live there is based primarily on a desire to move to a smaller, safer city that is still large enough to have decent employment prospects. I have lived in Dallas since I was a young girl and feel like drawn to move to a city with a slightly slower-paced lifestyle.

Amarillo is definately slower paced than Dallas!

May I ask how, from your observations, Amarillo is different from Dallas? It appears to be large enough to have amenities that I would normally use (car washes, dry cleaner services, etc.)

Yeah, Amarillo is plenty big enough (~180,000 people, I believe). It still had a small town feel to it when I lived there and I assume that it still does. A long drive to work in Amarillo might take 10-15 minutes.

The climate is different. Amarillo is much higher (~3,700 ft in Amarillo and Dallas is ~430 ft) and much drier than Dallas. It gets colder in the winter and the wind blows. A lot. Amarillo is on the southern end of the High Plains and is very flat (although the best state park in Texas IMHO, Palo Duro Canyon, is only about 20 miles from town). It gets hot in the summer, but not as hot as Dallas.

Amarillo has a lot of agriculture and cattle money as part of its economy. The agriculture isn’t a problem, but you will know when the wind blows from the wrong direction that there are large feedlots in the area!

I personally think that in general people in Amarillo are very friendly, more so than in a bigger city. I have lived in Houston for 26 years and I would live in Amarillo again in a heartbeat.

I would recommend you visit there for a weekend to see what you think.

Peace

Tim

 

[tafan]

I can vouch for Msgr Waldo at St. Mary’s, he is a very, good and holy priest. I don’t know that much about the parish itself. n I know they had a modern style church that wasn’t too attractive and it burned down. I have heard that the new church build to replace it was much better.

I can personally say that St. Ann’s parish in Canyon (about 15 miles south of amarillo, but kind of a suburb, if you will), is an excellant parish. When visiting family, we have gone to that church and I am always impressed. I have extended family members in that parish and they speak very highly of it.

 

[tafan]

As to Amarillo in general, here are some of my thoughts:

West Texans are the nicest, friendliest people you will find anywhere.
It is MUCH colder than Dallas. People who have not lived in both places never realize the difference, but the climate in amarilo gets colder a lot earlier in the fall and it stays cold much earlier in the spring. Here in Dallas, we can go a whole winter and just have a few cold spells. In Amarillo, you go a whole winter and just have a few warm spells.
Wind is overstated. Yea they have a few days (maybe more than a few) every spring when the wind is blowing 50-70 mph (my wife never believed it blew that hard until she was finally there one time during it), but for the most of the year, the wind is the same in amarillo than dallas. And unlike other areas of West Texas, amarillo does not have a huge dust problem (ie the brown skies of lubbock). Also, summer nights are cool. Even when you have a 100 degree day, it cools off a lot in the evening. This is a big plus.
West Texas is a much more diverse place as to landscape and scenery than people realize and the areas around Amarillo are some of the prettiest terrain you will find.
The economy of Amarillo is surprisingly stable compared to most other places in the country. Never really boom times and never really bust times. I believe unemployment is now low relative to dallas.

 

[Miss_Linda]

I can personally say that St. Ann’s parish in Canyon (about 15 miles south of amarillo, but kind of a suburb, if you will), is an excellant parish. When visiting family, we have gone to that church and I am always impressed. I have extended family members in that parish and they speak very highly of it.

Thank you very much for this information. I will try to find out more about this parish. I really need to determine whether there is a good Church there before I can really seriously consider moving there.

I appreciate so much the very helpful information and responses that all of you have provided. I have noticed that the unemployment rate in Amarillo is currently 5.6% (compared with that of Dallas which is currently 8.3%), which speaks to that region’s appealing economic stability.

The weather is something I will have to consider. I actually like Dallas weather. Amarillo definitely seems to get far more severe weather than I see here in Dallas. It will certainly be another factor in that decision.

Thank you all so very much for sharing your insights and offering your wise counsel!

 

[newbetx]

I am beginning to pray about moving to Amarillo, Texas, and finding a Church is going to be central to a decision about moving. I currently live in a large metropolitan area where I attend a wonderful, traditional conservative Catholic Church. Is there anyone in this forum who is famliar with some of the Churches in Amarillo, and could tell me whether there are any parishes with a more traditional “feel” in that city?

Any additional insights into living in Amarillo would also be appreciatively received.

Thank you!

Only been there once… but on your way there, please consider stopping by here… It’s right off the Interstate. You really can’t miss it!
crossministries.net/
It’s a beautiful Catholic place. I wish I lived closer so I could visit it more often!

 

[tafan]

Only been there once… but on your way there, please consider stopping by here… It’s right off the Interstate. You really can’t miss it!
crossministries.net/
It’s a beautiful Catholic place. I wish I lived closer so I could visit it more often!

How did I forget to mention that. Thanks newbetx!!